Hemp
Judicial decision in the Kanavape case, scheduled for tomorrow, may define the future of CBD in Europe
O Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) announced the reading of the final decision on the Kanavape case due tomorrow, November 19, 2020. The case, which centers on a dispute over the marketing of Kanavape's CBD vaporizer in France, is one of the most anticipated legal decisions as it could represent the future of the CBD industry in Europe.
Kanavape is being sued in France for selling vaping products made with natural CBD from hemp. The French legal paradigm currently prohibits the marketing of products derived from the entire cannabis plant (even if it is hemp, as is the case), and therefore products containing CBD, while the use of synthetic CBD (chemically identical) is generally allowed.
However, in Europe it is allowed to grow hemp for industrial purposes as long as THC levels do not exceed 0,2%. The French company defends itself with the free movement of goods within the European Union. Sébastien Béguerie, consultant, and Antonin Cohen-Adad, now a business leader in Spain, launched in December 2014 “Kanavape”, the first “100% legal” cannabis electronic cigarette. In the vaporizer they used an oil containing cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotropic molecule of Cannabis sativa L. (hemp), with less than 0,2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychotropic substance of the plant.
The court decision, scheduled for tomorrow, November 19, has the potential to open up a new CBD market in France, as well as trigger a wave of legislative revisions and reforms in other EU member states. Or not. But this decision could also have implications for the European Commission's final position on whether CBD derived from hemp flowers should be regulated as a narcotic rather than a dietary supplement or novel food.
The decision is set to come two weeks before a vote in December by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs on how cannabis and related substances are programmed into two international narcotics treaties.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
[Disclaimer: Please note that this text was originally written in Portuguese and is translated into English and other languages using an automatic translator. Some words may differ from the original and typos or errors may occur in other languages.]____________________________________________________________________________________________________
What do you do with €3 a month? Become one of our Patrons! If you believe that independent cannabis journalism is necessary, subscribe to one of the levels of our Patreon account and you will have access to unique gifts and exclusive content. If there are many of us, we can make a difference with little!
I am one of the directors of CannaReporter, which I founded together with Laura Ramos. I am from the unique Island of Madeira, where I currently reside. While I was in Lisbon at FCUL studying Physical Engineering, I became involved in the national hemp and cannabis scene and participated in several associations, some of which I am still a member of. I follow the global industry and especially legislative advances regarding the different uses of cannabis.
I can be contacted by email at joao.costa@cannareporter.eu
Dr. Green Digital Key: The Allegations, the Concerns and Why We're Investigating
Over the past eight months, Business of Cannabis, Cannabis Health, Leafie and CannaReporter® have conducted a...
North Macedonia: Government to review company licenses after seizing cannabis destined for the illicit market
“All licenses granted to companies processing cannabis for medicinal purposes will be reviewed.” The government of North Macedonia...
Portugal: New Operation “Ortiga” seizes 2 tons of cannabis and arrests two foreign citizens
The investigation that the Judiciary Police began in May and which targets medicinal cannabis companies in Portugal had today...
Thailand: New cannabis regulations aren't as bad as they seem. Here's what's really at stake in the country
The Thai government recently announced its intention to review its cannabis legislation, with the aim of limiting...
Lorraine Nolan chosen to head European Drugs Agency (EUDA)
The Executive Assembly of the European Drugs Agency (EUDA) has appointed Irishwoman Lorraine Nolan to take up the position of Director...
Cannabis Europa: “Doctors continue to leave medical school without having learned about the endocannabinoid system”
The phrase is from Niall Ivers, co-founder of Cantourage, and reveals a systemic problem in the medicinal cannabis sector in...
Hungary: New drug policy includes zero tolerance and hate campaigns
The Hungarian government, in power for 15 years, has consistently used marginalized groups as scapegoats for its problems,...
SOMAÍ and Universidade Lusófona publish peer-reviewed study to improve practices in the production of full-spectrum cannabis oils
SOMAÍ Pharmaceuticals, a multinational operator with EU-GMP certification, through a partnership with Universidade Lusófona, has published a study...
Poland’s telemedicine setback: A wake-up call for Europe’s cannabis sector
Poland's medical cannabis sector has seen one of the most impressive growth trajectories in Europe — but it's also...
From Renaissance to Revolution: You Can't Spell Mental Health in the 21st Century Without Psychedelics
Psychedelic Science 2025, held in Denver, Colorado, June 16-20, was a fusion of science,...
